We’ve talked so much this past year about the ups and downs of the publishing journey — it’s a wild ride for sure. But this week on the Ball, as we come to the end of our debut years, we’re talking about what it was that made it so amazing. Because amidst the craziness, it’s often hard to remember just how truly privileged we are to share our stories with…
YAY for second books! It’s so fun hearing about everyone’s sophomore efforts — and seeing how different the process has been for each of us. For Dhonielle and I, our contract was a two-book set up — but we didn’t know until after our first editorial meeting whether the second book would be a companion novel, sequel or something else altogether. Luckily, it was a sequel, and that’s what D…
This week on the Deb Ball, we’re talking about what we’d do differently the second time around. And honestly, I might as well just direct you to Amy’s post from Tuesday, because she nailed it. So many things were chaos on this debut journey. So many things were out of my (and Dhonielle’s control). And being they Type A that I am, I fretted and fretted and then occasionally fretted…
Okay, so this week’s topic is marketing. As the other Debs have confessed, as writers, its one arena that really leaves us flummoxed. What works? What doesn’t? Who knows? One of the most confusing aspects of all this is that marketing is defined differently than publicity. Marketing usually entails paid, guaranteed efforts (like ad placement or co-op at the bookstore), while publicity is the stuff you see show up randomly…
Not long after TINY PRETTY THINGS went into copyedits, Dhonielle and I chatted about reviews. We know the drill: Do not engage. And that was the plan from the start. But in our heads, we couldn’t help but compose our own worst review. It would say things like: “These girls are unlikable.” “This book is too long.” Or maybe: “I figured out who did it.” Whatever. Then we got by (relatively)…
Dhonielle and I have been working for this moment for nearly four years now — through countless drafts, a couple of agents, four editors, and endless edits. Also: new jobs, new apartments, a hurricane, a baby, and a hundred other little life events. So we should be relishing every moment right of launch week, right? But it doesn’t feel real. In fact, I still haven’t actually gotten to walk into…
Note: Yesterday was our very own Sona’s book birthday – TINY PRETTY THINGS is now out in the wild, and I can’t wait for all of you to read it! Blurbed as “Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars,” this high-drama, deliciously dark and absolutely addictive book features three teenaged girls — Gigi, Bette, and June — trying to dance their way to the prima ballerina status at an elite NYC…
This week at the Deb Ball, we’re talking about drafts. And as much as I’d like to say I have a methodology, it’s really just a mess. As Deb Ball reader Anthony mentioned a few days ago in the comments, you don’t really learn to write a novel. You just learn to write the novel you’re working on now. At least that’s how it goes for me. Oh, don’t get me wrong. Ever…
Okay, so the lovely ladies here at the DebBall may all be like, Oh, I am so not a party planner and all that. But you know what? I’ve got them all beat. Because the book launch for TINY PRETTY THINGS is just under two months away, and aside from the date and time, we haven’t really done a thing. Okay, that’s not true. I made the paperless post evite….
It’s been ten years since my stint in Hollywood, and sometimes I still wonder “what if”? What if social media had existed back then? What if I’d tried harder? What if I’d written one more script? What if I’d moved to L.A. to actually make a go of it? Everyone has those moments of envy and competitiveness — it’s what fuels long-running race-to-the-finish shows Survivor, or even those vicarious-living shows…
